Tretinoin

(TRET i noyn)

Trade Name: Vesanoid®

Other Names: All-trans Retinoic Acid (ATRA)

Tretinoin is the generic name for the trade name drug Vesanoid®. In some cases, health care professionals may use the trade name Vesanoid® or All-trans Retinoic Acid (ATRA) when referring to the generic drug name tretinoin.

Drug Type:

Tretinoin is an anti-cancer ("antineoplastic" or "cytotoxic") chemotherapy drug. Tretinoin is classified as a "retinoid." (For more detail, see "How Tretinoin Works" section below).

What Tretinoin Is Used For:

Tretinoin is used to treat acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL, APML).

Note: If a drug has been approved for one use, physicians sometimes elect to use this same drug for other problems if they believe it might be helpful.

How Tretinoin Is Given:

Tretinoin is given by mouth (in capsule form).

One size capsule - 10mg, do not crush, chew or dissolve capsules. Protect from light.

Take tretinoin with food.

It also is used as a lotion (topical) for patients with acne and certain rashes.

The amount of tretinoin you will receive depends on many factors, including you height and weight, your general health or other health problems, and the type of cancer you have. Your doctor will determine your dosage and schedule.

Side Effects:

Important things to remember about Tretinoin side effects:

Most people do not experience all of the Tretinoin side effects listed.

Tretinoin side effects are often predictable in terms of their onset, duration, and severity.

Tretinoin side effects will improve after treatment is complete.

Tretinoin side effects may be quite manageable. There are many options to help minimize or prevent the side effects of tretinoin.

There is no relationship between the presence or severity of tretinoin side effects and teh effectiveness of the medication.

The following side effects are common (occurring in greater than 30%) for patients taking tretinoin:

A very serious side effect that is preventable with proper monitoring and immediate treatment is APL differentiation syndrome. This syndrome is a reaction between the drug and the leukemia. This syndrome produces fever, difficulty breathing, weight gain, lung and heart problems. It is generally treated with high-dose steroids. In most cases, treatment with Tretinoin will continue. Be sure to let your health care professional know if you experience fever of 100.4° F or 38° C, difficulty breathing, or sudden weight gain. The syndrome usually occurs during the first month of treatment, with some cases reported following the first dose.

Not all side effects are listed above, some that are rare (occurring in less than 10% of patients) are not listed here. However, you should always inform your health care provider if you experience any unusual symptoms.

When to contact your doctor or health care provider:

Contact your health care provider immediately, day or night, if you should experience any of the following symptoms:

Fever of 100.4° F (38° C), chills (possible signs of infection)

The following symptoms require medical attention, but are not emergency situations. Contact your health care provider within 24 hours of noticing any of the following:

Nausea (interferes with ability to eat and unrelieved with prescribed medications)

Precautions:

Before starting Tretinoin treatment, make sure you tell your doctor about any other medications you are taking (including prescription, over-the-counter, vitamins, herbal remedies, etc.). Do not take aspirin, or products containing aspirin unless your doctor specifically permits this.

Do not receive any kind of immunication or vaccination without your doctor's approval while taking Tretinoin.

Inform your health care professional if you are pregnant or may be pregnant prior to starting this treatment. Pregnancy category D (Tretinoin may be hazardous to the fetus. Women who are pregnant or become pregnant must be advised of the potential hazard to the fetus).

Because of the extremely high risk that a deformed infant can result if pregnancy occurs while taking Tretinoin in any amount even for short periods of time, for both men and women: Do not conceive a child (get pregnant) while taking Tretinoin. Two methods of effective contraception are recommended form women of childbearing potential, unless absolute abstinence is the chosen method. Discuss with your doctor when you may safely become pregnant or conceive a child after therapy.

Do not breast feed while taking Tretinoin.

Self-Care Tips:

Drink at least 2 to 3 quarts of fluid every 24 hours, unless you were told to restrict your fluid intake, and maintain good nutrition. This will decrease your chances of being constipated, and prevent dehydration.

You may be at risk of infection so try to avoid crowds or people with colds, and report fever or any other signs of infection immediately to your health care provider.

Wash your hands often.

When you start taking Tretinoin, you may become dizzy, confused, anxious, or extremely tired. Do not attempt to drive or operate heavy machinery, unless you know how you will respond to Tretinoin.

In general, drinking alcoholic beverages should be kept to a minimum or avoided completely. You should discuss this with your doctor.

Get plenty of rest.

Maintain good nutrition.

Remain active as you are able. Gentle exercise is encouraged such as a daily walk.

Do not share your medicines with anyone. Keep out of reach of children.

If you experience symptoms or side effects, be sure to discuss them with your health care team. They can prescribe medications and/or offer other suggestions that are effective in managing such problems.

Monitoring and Testing:

You will be monitored regularly by your health care professional while you are taking Tretinoin to monitor side effects and check your response to therapy. For women of childbearing age, a pregnancy test is required one week prior to beginning this therapy and every month furing treatment. Blood counts and lipid (fats, cholesterol) levels and liver function all need to be analyzed before treatment begins and regularly during treatment. These are measureed through blood tests.

How Tretinoin Works:

Retinoids are drugs that are relatives of vitamin A. Retinoids control normal cell growth, cell differentiation (the normal process of making cells different from each other), and cell death during embryonic development and in certain tissues later in life. Retinoids effects on the cells are controlled by receptors on the nucleus of each cell (nuclear receptors).

There are two major classes of retinoid nuclear receptors: retinoic acid receptors (RAR) and retinoid-X-receptors (RXR). There are also subtypes within each class. Each of these types of receptors has different functions in different tissues. The different retinoid drugs work by binding to different receptors; which, in turn, affect cell growth and differentiation.

Retinoids are relatively new types of anti-cancer drugs. They have been used alone or in combination to treat a variety of cancers such as skin cancers, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, acute promyelocytic leukemia, lung cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, and head and neck cancers. Retinoid have also been used experimentally in an attempt to prevent certain types of cancer. There is ongoing research to determine their role in both cancer treatment and prevention.

Retinoids have been associated with side effects such as skin problems (dryness, peeling, itching, sun sensitivity), reversible elevation in liver enzymes, temporary abnormal lipid levels, low thyroid levels (hypthyroidism), and headaches. Taking supplemental doses of vitamin A may increase the side effects. Vitamin supplementation should be discussed with your physician.

Note: We strongly encourage you to talk with your health care professional about your specific medical condition and treatments. The information contained in this website is meant to be helpful and educational, but is not a substitute for medical advice.

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